I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, and I admittedly have a pretty good case of the stupids right now. Normally, I'd probably refrain from throwing this out there, but a friend of mine is convinced Dantonio and staff are stacking commitments in bunches to take the spotlight off Jim Harbaugh.
According to a friend, a lifelong Michigan fan, who has been a bit too eager to accept conspiracy theories for as long I've known him, Dantonio orchestrated the timing of Michigan State's latest wave of commitments to take the spotlight off Michigan's innovative use of satellite camps and to embarrass Jim Harbaugh for his failure to bring in blue chip recruits via these camps.
My response:
"It's not possible to embarrass anyone that goes shirtless while wearing long pants at a football camp, something Gary Moeller with a blood alcohol level of .3 wouldn't even consider."
The whole conversation was pretty useless, but it got me thinking. Given the extent to which recruiting successes or failures during spring and early summer shape the perception programs until the start of practice in August, programs have become much more PR savvy with the recruiting process. Social media, for example, is used to acknowledge offers going out to players as well as commitments coming in. Graphics and/or hashtags are use to convey a desired message.
I don't believe Dantonio is lining up commitment dates for silent verbals in an effort to maximize exposure and create momentum. The timing of Robertson's commitment, which took place on the same day as the announcments from AWP Sports Training teammates Austin Mack and Ben Skowronek, was set to create awareness for AWP's annual R.A.S. Camp. A commitment from Roberson in April around the time Messiah deWeaver would have also created momentum.
Be that as it may, there is no question that the timing of Michigan State's barrage of d-line commitments in the past four days has generated a lot of positive press for the Spartans heading into what has always been an important week on the recruiting calendar with a the team's 7-on-7 camp, followed by two days of Sound Mind Sound Body, as well as a one-day camp.
According to a friend, a lifelong Michigan fan, who has been a bit too eager to accept conspiracy theories for as long I've known him, Dantonio orchestrated the timing of Michigan State's latest wave of commitments to take the spotlight off Michigan's innovative use of satellite camps and to embarrass Jim Harbaugh for his failure to bring in blue chip recruits via these camps.
My response:
"It's not possible to embarrass anyone that goes shirtless while wearing long pants at a football camp, something Gary Moeller with a blood alcohol level of .3 wouldn't even consider."
The whole conversation was pretty useless, but it got me thinking. Given the extent to which recruiting successes or failures during spring and early summer shape the perception programs until the start of practice in August, programs have become much more PR savvy with the recruiting process. Social media, for example, is used to acknowledge offers going out to players as well as commitments coming in. Graphics and/or hashtags are use to convey a desired message.
I don't believe Dantonio is lining up commitment dates for silent verbals in an effort to maximize exposure and create momentum. The timing of Robertson's commitment, which took place on the same day as the announcments from AWP Sports Training teammates Austin Mack and Ben Skowronek, was set to create awareness for AWP's annual R.A.S. Camp. A commitment from Roberson in April around the time Messiah deWeaver would have also created momentum.
Be that as it may, there is no question that the timing of Michigan State's barrage of d-line commitments in the past four days has generated a lot of positive press for the Spartans heading into what has always been an important week on the recruiting calendar with a the team's 7-on-7 camp, followed by two days of Sound Mind Sound Body, as well as a one-day camp.
